Alternate names: Kolbuszowa [Pol], Kolbushov, קאלבושאב [Yid], Kolbasuv, Kolbishov, Kolbushova, Kolbuszowa Dolna. 50°15' N, 21°46' E, 17 miles NW of Rzeszów. 1900 Jewish population: about 2000. Yizkor: Pinkas Kolbishov (Kolbasov) (New York, 1971). ShtetLink. JOWBR burial list: Jewish Cemetery. This small town in SE Poland with 9,190 inhabitants in 2008 in the Subcarpathian Voivodship (since 1999) is the capital of Kolbuszowa County (powiat). In 1700, only three Jewish families resided here. Originally a small village in 1713, the prohibition on Jewish residence or work was abolished. The synagogue was founded in 1727 with a kahal and the first cemetery added in 1736. Jewish population: 1773-ninety Jewish families with 186 people and 1889-551 Jews and 727 Christians. At the end of 17th century, the magid (preacher) in Kolbuszow was Jehoszua Abraham Reszel, later the Opatowie tzaddik. At the beginning of the 19th century, he was replaced by Rabbi Jacob, son of the tzaddik Naftali Ropczyce. From 1867, he was part of the city council and appointed Deputy Mayor. At the end of the 19th century, three houses of prayer served 2,502 persons. Between 1918 and 1919 anti-Jewish riots occurred in the city. Shops were looted; eight Jews were killed and about 100 were injured. By 1921, 1,415 Jews remained, 48% of the total population with Zionist organizations, Jewish craftsmen, and a merchant association. Before World War II, half of Kolbuszowa's population was Jewish. "In 1900, Dzikowiec and its four adjacent villages were in the Kolbuszowa administrative district and Kolbuszowa township. Jewish residents of Dzikowiec and Wildenthal worshipped at Kolbuszowa, those in Kopcie and Plazowka worshipped at Madan, and those in Lipnica worshipped in Ranizo." During the war, German troops burned down part of the town; and about half of the Jewish population perished. In September 1941, Germans established a ghetto and interned 2500 people from the town and surroundings villages. In September 1942 the ghetto was emptied and its entire population was moved to a ghetto in Rzeszów. Most of the local Jewish population perished in Belzec and about a thousand killed in the local Jewish cemetery. The ghetto was liquidated on October 14, 1942. When survivors returned to the city after the war on September 24, 1946, a pogrom occurred. The Jewish cemetery founded in 1830 on ul Krakow operated during the Nazi occupation. Matzevot were made of many different materials including granite and sandstone. The land is fenced. Photos. Photos saved from Holocaust. Other Jewish settlements and villages that used the Kolbuszowa Jewish Cemetery include Brzezówka, Cmolas, Dubas, Dzikowiec, Kolbuszowa Dolna/Górna, Kopcie, Kupno, Nowa Wies, Przedbórz, Przylek, Werynia, and Zarebki. Rabbi photo. documentary in German. market in 1929 photo. two boys in ghetto photo. "[May 2009]
Map [January 2006]
US Commission No. POCE000495
Alternate names: Kolbasur/Kolbishor in Yiddish. Kolbuszowa is located in Rzeszowskie (Rzeszow) at 50°15 21°46, 30 km N from Rzeszow. Cemetery location: Krakowska St. Present town population is 1,000-5,000 with no Jews.
- Town: Wojewodzki Konserwator Zabytkow, 35 Rzeszow, ul. Mickiewicza 7.
- Local: Urzad Miasta i Gminy, 36-110 Kolbukowa, ul. Obroncow Pokojk 21, tel. 713-33.
Earliest known Jewish community was 18th century. Synagogue built in 18th century. The Jewish cemetery, 5 km from congregation, was established in 1830 with last burial during WWII. Between fields and woods, the isolated hillside has no sign, but has a Star of David on the gate or wall. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. A masonry wall with non-locking gate surround. The size of the cemetery before WWII was 1800 square m. 100-500 tombstones, more than 75% toppled or broken, date from 19th-20th century. The oldest known tombstone was Johenn Spitze, 13 Aug 1873. The marble, granite, limestone, sandstone, and slate rough stones or boulders, flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, or flat stones with carved relief decorations have Hebrew, Polish, and German inscriptions. There are marked mass graves. Municipality owns site used as a Jewish cemetery only. Properties adjacent are agricultural. The cemetery boundaries are the same as before WWII. Occasionally, private visitors and local residents stop. The cemetery was vandalized during WWII. Local and regional authorities did re-erection, patched stones, and fixed wall and gate in 1988. There is no present care. There are no structures. Vegetation is a serious threat.
Natascha Rode, 35-213 Rzeszow, Starynski St. 5/29 completed survey May 1992. Documentation: region Konserwator Zabytkow, Rzeszow. Natascha Rode visited the site in 1992. No interviews.
REFERENCE: They Lived Among Us: Polish Judaica, a travel brochure: Arline Sachs, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
REFERENCE: Gruber, Ruth Ellen. Jewish Heritage Travel A Guide to East-Central Europe. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1992. p. 75
Shtetlink [November 2002]
Spreadsheet of names and plan/map of the cemetery: [January 2003]
UPDATE: Jacek Proszyk took digital photographs of all the Matzevot in the Kolbuszowa Cemetery, translated the inscriptions, and create a spreadsheet for JOWBR. has more information. Source: Susana Leistner Bloch, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. on JewishGen Digest. [January 2003]